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How
to pick an Avocado
Like most fruits, avocados do not ripen until picked,
so fresh ones will be as hard as rocks. Look for an even
unblemished texture, uniformly hard or soft over its entire
surface and those that feel heavy for their size. Avoid
any with bruises or soft spots, and those with a hollow
between the flesh and skin. Shake the avocado to test...if
the pit is loose, move on to the next one. The flesh of
ripe fruits will yield when pressed gently. However, ripe
fruits bruise easily with excessive handling in the markets,
so it's best to ripen your own at home. Of course, this
means proper planning, giving yourself 2-5 days in advance
to insure they are ripe for your use.
To
ripen,
place the avocado(s) in a brown paper bag and store at
room temperature for 2-5 days, away from direct sunlight.
The addition of an apple or banana to the bag will hasten
the ripening process. Do not store unripened fruit in
the refrigerator. After being chilled, they will never
ripen properly. Once ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator,
unpeeled, for up to two weeks.
To
prevent Darkening
The flesh of the avocado quickly begins to darken when
exposed to the air, so it's important to work quickly
with the meat once the avocado is cut. The addition of
an acidic, usually lemon, retards the darkening process.
Avocados
do have a high fat content, but it is monounsaturated
fat, which some studies show to actually help reduce cholesterol.
The avocado is also low in calories.)
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Layered Mexican Salad
"This colorful salad has layers of flavor and
a satisfying crunch. Canola oil's light taste allows the
flavors of other ingredients to shine through."
Original recipe yield: 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
*
6 cups shredded lettuce
* 1/2 cup diced onion
* 1 (12 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
* 1 green pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped
* 2 tomatoes, diced
* 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup crushed corn chips
*
SALSA DRESSING
* 1/2 cup salsa
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons Canola Harvest
oil
* 2 tablespoons lime juice
* 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Line a large serving platter with shredded lettuce. Layer
onion, corn, roasted green pepper and tomatoes.
2. To roast pepper: Arrange oven rack so that green pepper
will sit about 3 to 4 inches below broiler. Place pepper
on oven rack: broil until skin blisters and turns black.
Keep rotating until all sides are done. Remove with tongs.
Put in paper bag to sweat. When cool enough to handle,
peel off skin.
3. To prepare dressing: combine salsa, water, canola oil,
lime juice, cilantro, sugar and garlic in container with
tight fitting lid. Shake well. Drizzle dressing over salad
and top with cheese and corn chips.
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